Cougar Rules - Decision TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary Sheet ..............................................................................................................................................1 WAC 220-412-050 Landowner raffle hunts .................................................................................................4 Recommended Adjustments ........................................................................................................................11 Summary of Written Comment ..................................................................................................................12 CR-102 .......................................................................................................................................................15 Summary Sheet Meeting dates: April 9-11, 2020 Agenda item: Cougar Rules - Decision Presenter(s): Anis Aoude, Game Division Manager, Wildlife Program Background summary: Staff will brief the Commission on proposed amendments to WAC 220-415-100 Cougar hunting seasons and regulations. The proposed changes are designed to give the commission four options to choose from relating to recreational cougar harvest guidelines. The non-status quo options are intended to extend seasons in areas where harvest has been historically high and where cougar human conflict is also high. The intended result of the longer season is to shift a proportion of cougar removal, currently carried out by agency personnel, to hunters. • The first option is status quo with one caveat, the density we used to set the guideline is the median of five research projects that were conducted in Washington. The median is a better measure because it is not affected by outliers in the data. In the past we used the mean. • The second option also uses a median density that is calculated using only adult cougars that are 24 months or older. This option reduces the guideline slightly, but sub- adult cougars harvested under this option would not count toward the guideline for season closure. • The third option adjusts the guideline upward for units that exceeded the guideline by December 31 at least once in the past five years. The new guideline is based on the highest harvest in the past five years. In this option there is the assumption that density is higher in these areas. In two PMUs the guidelines in this option were adjusted so they did not exceed an assumed density 4.15 cougars per 100 square kilometers. This was intended to keep the density within an acceptable range based on research conducted in the western United States. This guideline includes adults and sub-adults. • The fourth option is like option three, but only uses a density based on adult cougars and only counts adult cougars towards the guideline. Staff recommendation: The department recommends the commission adopt one of the options detailed in the proposed rule. Policy issue(s) and expected outcome: Depending on the option that the commission approves there is potential for an increase in cougar harvest that is within acceptable parameters based on the science. Fiscal impacts of agency implementation: None. Public involvement process used and what you learned: The department provided public input opportunity on proposed hunting seasons via the department website for a three-week time period. Additionally, we heard public oral testimony from individuals and organizations at the March 13, 2020 Commission meeting. Also the due to COVID-19 the comment period was extended to gather comments from those not able to attend the public meeting. 1 Please see attachment A, public comment form. Action requested and/or proposed next steps: A motion and vote by the commission to adopt one of the proposed options. 2 AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 18-11-061, filed 5/11/18, effective 6/11/18) WAC 220-415-100 ((2018-2019 and 2019-2020)) Cougar hunting seasons and regulations. (1) As used in this section and in the context of general cougar hunting seasons, "harvest guideline" means the estimated allowable harvest; the actual harvest may be less than or more than the harvest guideline. (2) Early general cougar season is September 1 to December 31, late general cougar season is January 1 to April 30 of the following year. Hunters can use any legal weapon to hunt cougars. ((Season dates and)) Harvest guidelines ((for each season)): Harvest Early Hunting Late Hunting Hunt Area (( Guideline Season Season Legal Weapon GMU 101 7-9 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 105 2 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 108, 111 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 113 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 117 6-8 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 121 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 124, 127, 130 7-9 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 133, 136, 139, 142, 248, None Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon 254, 260, 262, 266, 269, 272, 278, 284, 290, 330, 334, 371, 372, 373, 379, 381 GMUs 149, 154, 162, 163 4-5 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 145, 166, 175, 178 3-4 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 169, 172, 181, 186 3 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 203 5 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 204 6-8 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon 3 Harvest Early Hunting Late Hunting ((Hunt Area Guideline Season Season Legal Weapon GMUs 209, 215 4 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 218, 231 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 224 2 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 233, 239 4 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 242, 243 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 244, 246, 247 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 245, 250 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 249, 251 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 328, 329, 335 6-7 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 336, 340, 342, 346 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 352, 356, 360, 364, 368 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 382, 388 3-4 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 407 None Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 418, 426, 437 11-15 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 448, 450 10-13 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 454 None Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 460 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 466, 485, 490 3 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 501, 504, 506, 530 8-10 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 503, 505, 520, 550 6-8 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 510, 513 3-4 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 516 4 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 524, 554, 556 3 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 560 5-6 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 564 1 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 568 2 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMU 572 3 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 574, 578 4 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 601, 602, 603, 612 5-7 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 607, 615 4 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 618, 636, 638 4-5 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 621, 624, 627, 633 None Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 642, 648, 651 6-8 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 652, 666 None Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 653, 654 5 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon GMUs 658, 660, 663, 672, 673, 9-12 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon 681, 684, 699 GMU 667 3-4 Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 Any Legal Weapon)) (Implied density in parentheses) 4 Option 1 Option 2 Option 4 Status quo Median density Option 3 Extend season median density adult only Extend season and adult only Harvest Harvest Harvest Harvest Hunt Area Guideline Guideline Guideline Guideline GMU 101 8-10 6-8 11-13 (3.03) 7-11 (2.6) GMU 105 2-3 2 4-5 (4.15) 4 (3.72) GMUs 108, 111 5-7 4-6 10-12 (4.06) 9-11 (3.63) GMU 113 5-7 4-5 5-7 (2.34) 4-5 (1.91) GMU 117 6-8 5-7 12-14 (4.00) 11-13 (3.57) GMU 121 5-7 4-6 10-12 (4.08)* 9-11 (3.65)* GMUs 124, 127, 130 7-10 6-8 8-11 (2.58) 7-9 (2.15) GMUs 133, 136, 139, 142, 248, None None None None 254, 260, 262, 266, 269, 272, 278, 284, 290, 330, 334, 371, 372, 373, 379, 381 GMUs 149, 154, 162, 163 4-6 3-5 8-10 (3.99)* 7-9 (3.56)* GMUs 145, 166, 175, 178 3-4 3-4 6-7 (3.94) 6-7 (3.51) GMUs 169, 172, 181, 186 3-4 2-3 6-7 (4.11) 5-6 (3.68) GMU 203 5-6 4-5 5-6 (2.34) 4-5 (1.91) GMU 204 7-9 5-7 8-10 (2.6) 6-8 (2.17) GMUs 209, 215 4-5 3-4 4-5 (2.34) 3-4 (1.91) GMUs 218, 231 5-6 4-5 5-6 (2.34) 4-5 (1.91) GMU 224 2-3 2 2-3 (2.34) 2 (1.91) GMUs 233, 239 3-5 3-4 4-6 (2.85) 4-5 (2.42) GMUs 242, 243 5-6 4-5 6-7 (2.71) 5-6 (2.28) GMUs 244, 246, 247 5-7 4-6 5-7 (2.34) 4-6 (1.91) GMUs 245, 250 5-7 4-6 5-7 (2.34) 4-6 (1.91) GMUs 249, 251 5-7 4-6 5-7 (2.34) 4-6 (1.91) GMUs 328, 329, 335 6-8 5-7 9-11 (3.22) 8-10 (2.79) GMUs 336, 340, 342, 346 5-7 4-6 10-12 (4.04) 9-11 (3.61) GMUs 352, 356, 360, 364,